Arif Castle Hotel

Renovating a hotel in the heart of the commercial district of Lucknow comes with its own challenges. Built in the1970s, Arif Castle is one of the premier hospitality destinations for tourists and visiting businessmen alike.

The client, whose main interests lie in real estate, approached Kashif Hasan to help in updating the look and feel of the hotel lobby.

Columns highlighted with column caps, presence of natural light and a design scheme that consisted of octagons were challenges that the designer had to deal with.

Alongside the design challenges was the fact that the hotel had to be closed off temporarily for the renovation and thus work had to be completed on a strict schedule.

The priority of the designer was to open the space up. The smaller rooms on the lobby floor were demolished to create a large space that flows between the waiting area, reception and the coffee shop. In an effort to carve out space, openings were created from column to column with minimal structural changes.

To create a rich and elegant mood, the flooring was done in a lighter coloured Dyna marble stone and the same was used to clad the walls.

Columns were cladded using Travertine marble. As the ceiling height could not be altered, empty spaces between the beams, on the ceiling, were articulated using aesthetically placed wooden rafters.

This combination of earthen materials in different colours and textures helped in creating an overall sophisticated, rich and welcoming atmosphere.

Red egg-shaped chairs were especially chosen for the lobby and waiting area as this area was visible from outside the hotel. The reception counter was designed and made entirely from corian.

The designers wanted to give the reception counter, the expression of an illuminated floating chunk projecting from the column.

Special attention was paid to the design of the washroom area to make it contemporary and modern using the latest materials. The highlight of the remodelled washroom is a specially designed sink entirely made from Korean, to allow for free flow of water while casting an effervescent feel to the entire space. Large mirrors were used to enhance the spaciousness of the washroom. The corridor leading up to the washrooms was highlighted using Italian marble. All other walls were finished using glazed vitrified tiles of a reputed company.